Compare PALLETIZERS. Automatic palletizers, robotic palletizers, gantry palletizers are all diverse in applications. High level palletizers and low level palletizers are used for very specific manufacturing methods.

The automatic palletizer has improved with the use of PCs and AC drives. This simplifies the programming and improves mechanical reliability, but the automatic palletizer is still a complicated mechanical structure. It serves its purpose in high volume product applications with few changes of product.

The robotic palletizers come in 5 and 6 axis robots for heavy loads and flexible applications. SCARA and gantry robots are 3 and 4 axis and are for lighter loads and less flexible applications.. The advantage of robots is their flexibility. To change from one product to another requires a change in program, plus a change in the gripper (end effector) which holds the product. With a proper design of the end effector, the robot may be able to load two different products simultaneously.

While this description highly favors robots, the traditional automatic palletizer and gantry palletizers will continue to play an important role in the packaging of many products. The reliability of the mechanical push rods and arms that guide products to their designed location are continuously improving the reliability of palletizers. For certain, very high volume products, such as empty cans, the mechanical stacking system may continue to be desirable